ITV in blind panic; switches off all premium interactivity pending review

There’s a lot kicking around the industry today about this. This could well be a big deal.

From ITV’s recent press release on the matter:

As a responsible broadcaster, ITV’s commitment is to put viewers’ interests first.

(That is, when we’re not making shitloads from them out of premium rate interactive services…)

In light of recent concern surrounding premium interactive services in television programmes across all channels, ITV is today announcing that it has appointed Deloitte as independent auditors to conduct a complete review of all premium rate interactive services in ITV programmes. This will cover all premium rate landline, mobile (excluding pay downloads) and red button activity.

Uh oh…. oooooh dear me. INDEPENDENT? That’s not what you want. Not in this market…. I reckon the Deloitte folk will be shocked. That is, unless they’re doing an independent-but-not-really report. Let’s find out more about what’s planned?

The review is in two parts. First, to ensure that all existing procedures are robust

You mean they might NOT be robust at the moment?

… and second, a retrospective review of premium interactive services in all relevant ITV programmes of the last two years. ITV intends to make the findings of the review public.

Intends. Heh. As long as the report is positive. 😉 Retrospective? Gosh.

Here’s the kicker:

We are therefore temporarily suspending all premium interactive services across all ITV channels from Tuesday March 6th. Interactive elements will return, programme by programme, as soon as they have passed the scrutiny of the independent audit.

Do you mean to say, Mr ITV, that you don’t actually have any procedures in place right now? Is it that bad that every single programme has to be scrutinised by an auditor now? Fair enough, but what’s your mobile department being doing for the past 2 years? Sitting on it’s arse signing unrobust contracts with programmer makers and service providers?

Golly. Can you imagine being sat there in the board room when the Chief Exec made the decision to temporarily suspend all revenue generation on all programmes? You must have to be in a ‘total shitstate mess’ (management definition) to take such sweeping action. You must also be thinking your mobile department are a bunch of muppets.

It’s quite simple. Everything should fit ICSTIS policies. This isn’t difficult. Everything should have been ‘certificated’ by ITV central command prior to being authorised and sent to air. Everything should be regularly organised. You have to be in ridiculous shape to have to do something like what ITV have done.

Although it’s probably better do to that NOW rather than risk the ire of anything else coming to public attention. Fascinating.

Check out the statement from ICSTIS in response to ITV’s announcement:

ICSTIS welcomes today’s announcement by ITV that it is to conduct an independent review of all premium rate interactive services in its programmes.

Ok, that’s fine, right. Now the next bit..

ITV’s announcement comes in the same week that ICSTIS is hosting a meeting with leading broadcasters, programme makers and premium rate service providers in the wake of the recent allegations made premium rate interactive services to agree what practical steps can be taken to restore consumer trust and confidence in the sector. ITV will be attending the meeting.

Well that’s going to be quite an interesting meeting isn’t it? I wouldn’t mind being a fly on the wall.

George Kidd (really nice chap) is also quoted:

ICSTIS Chief Executive George Kidd said: ‘We believe that the industry has a major role to play in ensuring that viewers can take part in TV shows with confidence. Today’s announcement by ITV is evidence of a broadcaster taking its responsibility to viewers seriously. We look forward to receiving the review’s findings.”

I am sure they will look forward to the review with relish!

In the cynical world that you and I live in, you have to ask yourself why ITV is taking such immediate action. Why didn’t they simply do an internal review? Why bother telling us all about it? Why not implement an internal review across the next 2 weeks — pull people off projects etc., and check that everything is ok? Surely there can’t be such a catastrophic failure to stick within Government defined guidelines that they have to pull the entire service within 24 hours? But that’s the cynical world we live in, right? 😉

I’m imagining things.